91 — To James De Bathe 1

Dorant's Hotel, February 2d, 1808.

My Dear De Bathe, — Last Night I saw your Father and Brother, the former I have not the pleasure of knowing, but the latter informed me

you

came to Town on

Saturday

and returned

yesterday

.

I have received a pressing Invitation from Henry Drury to pay him a visit; in his Letter he mentions a very old

Friend

of yours, who told him he would join my party, if I could inform him on what day I meant to go over. This Friend you will readily conclude to be a Lord

B

.; but not the one who now addresses you. Shall I bring him to you? and insure a welcome for myself which perhaps might not otherwise be the case. This will not be for a Fortnight to come. I am waiting for Long, who is now at Chatham, when he arrives we shall probably drive down and dine with Drury.

I confess Harrow has lost most of its charms for me. I do not know if Delawarr is still there; but, with the exception of yourself and the Earl, I shall find myself among Strangers. Long has a Brother at Butler's, and all his predilections remain in full force; mine are weakened, if not destroyed, and though I can safely say, I never knew a Friend out of Harrow, I question whether I have one left in it. You leave Harrow in July; may I ask what is your future Destination?

In January

1809

I shall be twenty one & in the Spring of the same year proceed abroad, not on the usual Tour, but a route of a more extensive Description. What say you? are you disposed for a view of the Peloponnesus and a voyage through the Archipelago? I am merely in jest with regard to you, but very serious with regard to my own Intention which is fixed on the

Pilgrimage

, unless some political view or accident induce me to postpone it. Adieu! if you have Leisure, I shall be as happy to hear from you, as I would have been to have

seen

you. Believe me,

Yours very truly,

Byron

.

Footnote 1:

  Sir James Wynne De Bathe (1792-1828) succeeded his father as second baronet, February 22, 1808.

"Clare, Dorset, Charles Gordon, De Bathe, Claridge, and John Wingfield, were my juniors and favourites, whom I spoilt by indulgence"

(

Life

, p. 21). De Bathe's name does not appear in the Harrow School lists. A Captain De Bathe interested himself in the case of Medora Leigh in 1843 (see Charles Mackay's

Medora Leigh

, pp. 92, 93, and elsewhere in the volume).